Nothing New
by CrazygurlMadness
Summary: AU, Zelink. Archeology. “Why, Zelda. Link Forester. I’m sure I mentioned him to you. He is our local study of the Harkinian history! He knows almost more about your family than you do! And he knows the estate like his pocket.”
1. Part 1 of 3

**Hey, people. It's been a while since I last added stuff. This is a little side-dish to N-Activities, and no, I did not drop it. You should expect an update of that one as well, when the school work drops a bit in quantity.**

**This idea was sticking around in my head for a while now, and I felt it had to be written down. I'm planning three parts maximum to this story, so it's not as big a project as N-Activities.**

**It** **came to me because I have been to Europe many a time, and have been given the opportunity to explore fortresses, ruins, castles (as they sure aren't missing over there). Since the Middle Ages always fascinated me, I couldn't help but want to put my personal view of them.**

**If any of you want an extra visual reference and have been to Europe as well, I've based this fortress on medieval Austrian mountaintop castles, though there undoubtebly will be other influences as well.**

**In this short piece, our characters are situated in our time, and looking back at a past they were not completely part of, but of which they are unknowingly experiencingthe effects, as we all are.**

**Exceptionally, I have used the lyrics of a two artists, and therefore must say I do not own them (the lyrics, I mean, not the artists... Though the artists I don't own either).**

**Without further chit-chat, please enjoy this shot I'm quite fond of.**

* * *

_Y a soixante-cinq millions d'années  
Par un soleil comme aujourd'hui  
Un de nos grands-parents faisait  
Le beau pour sa nouvelle amie.– **Rien de nouveau**, Francis Cabrel_

_**(Translation:  
**Sixty-five millions years now  
On a sunny day like this one  
One of our grandparents romanced  
The girl of his dreams. -**Nothing New**, Francis Cabrel_

**Nothing New  
****Part 1 / 3  
****By CM

* * *

**

Zelda sighed, running a pale hand through her long golden hair. She slammed her car door behind her, feeling the bright sun on her skin, and the wind brushing against her face.

She had parked on a gravel path, and the peach coloured rocks crunched under her feet. She took in a deep breath of fresh air, walking to the side of the path, to a low, thick stone wall, where she leaned. Before her lay open air ruins. Medieval ruins of what used to be a fortress now stood precariously on the large green shelf. What was left of the walls stood against the deep blue sky where floated a few fluffy white clouds. Vines climbed all over the stones, their pale pink and white flowers enjoying the sun. The light wind rustled the trees all around.

Zelda felt herself smile despite the grim feelings that dwelled inside her heart. She turned around and looked at the last remaining part of the castle, that had been barely kept as a tourist attraction. On white metal stands outside, colourful postcards of the area attracted the eye. The modern glass door just behind opened on a souvenir shop, and in the back room beyond, a restoration centre for the site.

Zelda rolled her shoulders, breathing out and turning back to the beautiful view of the ruins on the shelf side. A few tourists walked by, a few families were taking an afternoon stroll by the remnants of history. It was truly a beautiful day.

It was the sound of the gravel crunching behind her that made Zelda turn around and smile.

"Miss Harkinian," the little, round man welcomed. He was dressed in a casual little business outfit, with a sun hat on his half bald head. What was left of his hair peeked out of the brims, white and soft. His big, rippled hands were shoved in his slacks. His little eyes were benevolent. Zelda was familiar with him, and admired his devotion to history. He was the head of the restoration team, as well as master of the open air museum of Hyrule Castle.

She nodded in acknowledgement. He smiled in that satisfied way of his.

"It's been a long while since I last saw you here. Has something happened?"

Zelda forced a smile. "Can't I take a stroll on my own property?"

He barked a laugh, shaking his head. "I'll stay quiet. It isn't my job to ask questions. At least, not about actuality."

Zelda smiled weakly, her eyes falling to the ground. The plump little old man reached out to pat her shoulder comfortingly but vigorously, smiling tightly in his beard. "Don't worry. Whatever it is, you'll have forgotten in a few years. It's not built out of stone, I'll bet," he said, indicating the ruins. "In any case, do you want to have a little something to drink?"

Zelda shook her head, a tiny smile titling the edge of her lips. "No, thank you." She was silent a short moment, before glancing back up at the man. "Mister Luz―"

"Rauru."

"Um, yes. Rauru." She corrected herself. "I have a few matters to discuss with you, concerning the ownership of the estate."

Rauru Luz looked slightly taken aback. He immediately looked grave, and he nodded slowly, leisurely following Zelda as she strolled down the peach gravel path. Zelda went on.

"I had a talk with Mister Dragmire―"

"Ganondorf Dragmire," Rauru specified, looking severely disapproving. Zelda nodded.

"Yes. Mister Dragmire. And I decided that his suggestion ―about selling the estate to the consulate― would not be . . . well, a good idea."

At that, Rauru looked both shocked and pleased. He beamed at Zelda, who shyly smiled back. "You're not selling, Miss Harkinian? Oh, what jolly news! What on Earth may have triggered such a wise decision, pray tell?"

Zelda shrugged, looking at the aged ruined walls they passed by. "I figured that there was still much more for me to discover about this place. He wasn't too pleased, but the way I see it . . . It's my estate, and I do what I please with it."

The glint in Rauru's eyes immediately flared up. "Oh, wise indeed! It is true that a whole section of your family's history rests here at Hyrule Castle, and that almost every piece found on the grounds bears your family's coat-of-arms― Yes, it is a wise decision to keep this estate in your family. Very wise. And the consulate would not know half of what you do. Oh, what a dreadful idea that Mister Dragmire tried selling you!" He nudged her with his elbow, smiling benevolently. "Our dearest Zelda Harkinian was always smarter than those dignitaries. A proud, intelligent young lady you are!"

Zelda, satisfied to see that for once someone agreed with her late decision, smiled, genuinely this time. They followed the gravel path into the cover of a small patch of trees. She could see a bit farther in the woods, the ruins covered in foliage. She smiled wider. This land was hers, and only hers.

"In any case," she went on, "I have reserved a hotel room in town. I'll be staying away from the big city for a while, just enough for things to cool down. And anyway, I got your mail about the new discoveries―"

"Oh, yes!" Rauru excitedly hopped, which was rather funny to witness. "You'll be absolutely thrilled! Link and I have uncovereda whole new wing to the fortress! You know how I always told you that the southern area was very uncovered and vulnerable to enemy attacks? Well, Link calls me only last week, telling me he found large foundations that could only belong to the southern wall and gate!"

Zelda laughed lightly, listening to the enthusiastic old man, motioning for him to slow down. She cocked her head to the side, smiling softly but curiously.

"Now, now, Rauru. First things first: who on Earth is Link?"

Rauru shot her a pointed look. "Why, Zelda. Link Forester. I'm sure I mentioned him to you. He is our local study of the Harkinian history! He knows almost more about your family than you do! And he knows the estate like his pocket."

Zelda nodded, impressed. "Well, that's certainly more than I can say myself."

"Which is why we hired him. He was always a history maniac. Much like myself. Oh, I'll have to present him to you. I'm sure you'll get along tremendously."

Zelda forced a smile. If Mister Link Forester was anything like Rauru, then she was in for historical talk non-stop. And it could get tiring for a modern young woman like herself.

"Come this way. I'll show you. We closed off the grounds for the time being. You know, to explore and uncover. As the owner, it's only fair that we show you around. Come, come!"

And show he did. Zelda felt her heart beat in her chest, seeing the low foundations of her ancestors' fortress. They were covered in wild grass, and they were on a steep shelf side, in the sun at the edge of a little wood. The view on the valley beyond and the mountains was breathtaking. She understood how the valley people could not see them. They were too high up on the shelf and too low in height.

Zelda had to take a moment to catch her breath. The sun smiled cheerfully, and the air was cool and chased the summer heat away. The sky was blue behind the shimmering green mountains and the small village houses aligned on a single street down in the valley, not any bigger than matchboxes, looked so charming. And just behind the last row of houses, a tiny, sinuous river snaked between rocks and greenery, shining and bubbling.

And then, dominating it all, her ancestry's castle. Zelda felt elated.

To think that just a few centuries ago, this whole land belonged to her great-great-great-great… great grandfather, as far as the eye could see. After many long years, the land she now owned was only limited to the castle, though it was a rather large estate on its own.

It was hers.

Rauru, standing a bit lower on the hill, hands on his hips, turned back to her with a bright, satisfied smile.

"I knew you'd like it," he declared, and she beamed at him, though she hadn't voiced that very thought. "And it doesn't stop here. Come and see for yourself."

Zelda, a bit surprised and awed that there could be more astounding things right here on her land, followed him carefully, watching for any tripping hazards.

They returned to the cover of trees, in a light woodland area, higher than they had been earlier. Zelda understood that it was the small hill on the shelf. Sitting at the bottom of it, though it was hidden by the trees, she knew that the main centre sat.

But Rauru was not leading her there. He was taking her higher than normal tourists were allowed to go. It was a clean kind of woodland. The old trees grew straight and high, and their roots stretched on the ground for a few meters before diving into the rich soil covered in moss, and big boulder-like rocks, and leaves. The clear sunlight filtered through the thick green foliage, sending dancing spotlights all over their faces. Zelda had to wonder what Rauru could want to show her. There wasn't any visible human construction here.

Still, they hiked higher with every step, until Zelda was fairly sure they were on top of the hill.

Then, she saw it, a few steps up.

It was a small stone structure, made of the same dark grey rocks as the rest of the fortress. Yet it seemed rather well kept. The only thing that had disappeared was the roof. The four walls were still erect, overlooking the astonishing view of the valley. It seemed that the trees around the building itself had been cut, a long time ago. The small saplings were much smaller than the older surrounding trees.

Rauru noticed her glance at the woods, and smiled. "You noticed it, didn't you? Who would have thought, really? It was Link's hypothesis. It was a wise thought. You know what he told me?" Zelda, curious, motioned for him to go on as she walked up to the stone structure, examining the old, used stones. Rauru proudly did. "Well, his theory was that any self-respecting fortress was bound to have a watchtower of some sort. To prove it, he did some visiting of the surrounding fortresses and came to a conclusion: the watchtower had to be on the hill, as with every other castle."

"Some watchtower it was," Zelda mumbled in response, looking at the saplings that managed to hide the view that could be guessed beyond.

"Well, the trees had been cut down to reveal the area 360° around. But after all these centuries, of course the forest would win over once again. You know how the land had been left to itself for decades upon decades. I suppose Mother Nature doesn't like having Her children erasing other living things, even trees. I'm quite sure that if we chose to cut down those saplings around here, cleanly and respectfully, this place would become a perfect observation tower for the valley of Hyrule."

Zelda, whose attention was irrevocably drawn to possible positive changes on her land, nodded attentively. "Well, so long as the cut wood can be used for other things, I'm fine with it. Do you think we could install one or two stationary binoculars on the outside of the structure? And perhaps place one or two guards to ensure against possible vandalism. You know how I feel about that."

Rauru, chuckling at Zelda's more practical and actual sense, nodded. "Yes, it could be fixed, but for now the team is eager to clean the area up and not loose anything."

"History," Zelda sighed after a brief silence, "is so odd. How things can remain and remind. I'm not an archaeologist, and I never will be, but I find history so very fascinating."

"Then you have the first few qualities needed to become a perfect historian."

At first, Zelda had to do a double-take. The voice that had just spoken was not Rauru's. She turned to the old man, and saw him smiling with a twinkle in his eye at someone else. As she turned her eyes to the newcomer, she had to pause. Without a doubt, the voice had been his. She hesitated uncomfortably, gazing at him intensely.

The young man licked his lips, wiping his hands on his pants' legs, outstretching one of the newly dusted hands to her. She shakily took it, and he smiled as he shook it, firmly but not painfully so. His dark, dirty blonde hair fell in tendrils over his eyes, and beneath them, his bright blue eyes shone cheerfully in a youthful but masculine face.

As Zelda withdrew her hand from his, still slightly suspicious of this handsome newcomer, Rauru came forward, jollier than ever. He slapped the young man's back, sending him a step closer to Zelda to catch his balance. "Ah! Link! There you are, my lad!" Rauru spoke. "I was just now telling our dearest Zelda about your discoveries!"

Link's eyes went from Rauru's cheerful face to Zelda's calm and calculating one. He blinked, and then smiled. "Miss Zelda Harkinian, you mean?" He asked, making sure.

At Rauru's nod, Zelda returned the favour. "Link Forester. Rauru told me you deduced the observation point's location and found the southern ruins."

Link smiled bashfully, looking at his feet for a brief second, before meeting her light blue eyes, and nodding slowly. "Mister Luz knows I hate it when he does that."

"Does what?" Rauru chuckled, breaking their exchange of gazes to turn their attention back to him. He was visibly amused. "You have a cunning deduction sense, my boy, and it would be a shame to hide your name in the credits of history. Hates it when I do that! Young people have no common sense." Then, he turned to Zelda, who was watching the exchange amusedly. "Link Forester is the most quick-minded boy I've met in my long years. And he has a true attraction to past eras." Rauru paused, before adding, a twinkle in his eye, "Particularly eras that concern the Harkinian family."

Zelda turned back to Link, who was watching her, enraptured. She had to wonder a bit vainly if his examination of her every move was all scientific,. She smiled weakly, trying for her sake to make him look away, but he spoke before it registered. "I was hoping to meet you one day, Miss Harkinian. You are, after all, the last descendant of the Harkinian lineage."

At which Rauru added, "Royal blood, my dear, flows in your veins."

Zelda had heard him repeat it so often that she just rolled her eyes at him, deliberately avoiding Link's intense gaze. For some reason, he made her feel uncomfortable, but not badly so.

After a long silence during which Link was watching her, Rauru was leaning back on his heels in satisfaction, and Zelda was trying to avoid both Link's deep blue gaze and Rauru's amused smile, the old man spoke.

"Well, I'd be delighted to show you more, but I have a meeting with Hyrule Valley's Historical Society about these new discoveries, and must therefore desert you both. However," Rauru looked confident, "I'm sure young Mister Forester would be delighted to show you yesterday's discovery. And anyway, it is not easily accessible to an old man such as myself."

Link's eyes finally left her profile, and Zelda allowed herself to breathe. His lips were stretched in a cheerful smile, and his eyes truly lit up at the mention of 'yesterday's discovery', so brightly that his whole face was illuminated by it.

He truly was handsome. Link turned back to her and beamed, his pearly white teeth revealed. Her heart beat even more.

"Yes, Miss Harkinian. A true marvel. I'm sure that you'll be thrilled." His voice was smooth, controlled, and accented in the regional tone.

"Dedicated as always," Rauru summed up, nodding at Zelda in salute and turning around to walk back down the wooded hillside, leaving them both standing by the ruins, "I'll be having tea with you later this afternoon, Zelda."

"Alright," Zelda responded, just as he disappeared from their view. She turned back to Link Forester. He was gazing at his shoes, his khaki slacks fitting him loosely and clean pale button-down shirt un-tucked.

Zelda, as any female would, noticed that he filled said shirt out very well.

He outstretched his hand towards the opposite side of the hill of where Rauru had disappeared, towards the western side. "The latest discovery lies this way."

She followed him, side-by-side, down a steeper side of the hill, and didn't notice where she was until she was practically standing onto it. A low, narrow stone slab was embedded vertically into the steep hillside.

Zelda gaped, and Link looked at her out of the corner of his eye, smiling. She moved forward, tracing the peculiar symbols carved into the stone, dulled by erosion. Her fingers traced the grooves in the rock, and she felt a smile come over her as she spotted her family's coat-of-arms.

"This is . . ."

"A door," Link explained. "I'd found it while I was scouting the area around the tower, and we opened it yesterday. But for security's sake, we chose to close it again, just in case. But come this way," he motioned for her to follow him. "I'm not sure you want to get dirty, though it's truly worth it. There's another way in."

Zelda exhaled in a huff, as climbing was wearing down on her. Link turned back and offered her his arm. She gratefully accepted it, though it wasn't necessary, brushing her hair back self-consciously.

He guided her to the beginning of a low dirt tunnel only a few feet away from the first entrance, hidden by tall grass. Zelda had to blink and make sure she wasn't hallucinating. It did not go unnoticed. Link smirked, and though Zelda had thought his smile enchanting, this playful grin was even more becoming on him. She figured that he had more than one facet. Multiple faceted and handsome. He was . . .

Horrifyingly attractive, this Link Forester was.

He motioned to the eerily dark tunnel, smiling with humour. "Ladies first?"

When she hesitated, Link sighed, grinning. "I'll go first, but you should follow me closely. It's pretty dark in there . . . Give me sec'." He started rummaging through his light black backpack, finally taking out a tiny examination flashlight. He blinked at it, before looking at her. Zelda held back a laugh. Both had had the same thought: a tiny flashlight would not provide enough light for one, let alone two people, in an obscure tunnel. They'd be plunged in darkness anyway.

And, even as they were about to start laughing, they were struck with another thought, which made Zelda blush and Link look at his shoes, tight-lipped, embarrassed.

Two people alone in a dark tunnel, without light . . .

Shaking herself clear of such thoughts, Zelda indicated for him to move in. "Lead the way, Mister Forester."

Link looked back at her as he was about to duck into the obscure tunnel. His eyes were serious, though she discerned a light behind them. "Please, Miss Harkinian, call me Link. Just that."

Zelda smiled in the sunlight. "I am not your superior. My name is Zelda, and is for people to call me by."

Link's gaze was warm and comforting, and her name rolled off his tongue. "Zelda, then."

"Link," she nodded, testing the word. "Let's go in," she finally added.

He nodded, and ducked inside the darkness. She followed him, bent over. Almost immediately, the outside rustle of leaves was cut out, and the damp obscurity surrounded them, pounding its earthy silence into their ears. Zelda could barely discern Link's shape in the weak light from the entrance.

And then, they walked into a high, large, stone room. Zelda stood up straight, looking back and forth between Link's face and the room, gaping. Her amazed gasp echoed in the otherwise silent chamber. Light filtered through the entrance door Link had shown her, through cracks and fissures that had been opened by water infiltration. On the ceiling, over the dark stone, roots peaked from between the rocks, proving that they were under the hillside.

But what stole Zelda's breath were the beautiful stone carvings all around the chamber, on the walls and in the corners. She brought a hand to her mouth, eyes wide in admiration. Some statues had been textured and she could also see some ceramic objects and metal artefacts lying in the darkness, barely glinting in the pale rays of light.

"It's beautiful, isn't it?" Link's voice rocketed in echo, making her nod slowly, walking to an old sheath in which there still was a sword. Her hand trembled as she brushed her hair back. Finally, she turned back to Link.

"What is this?" She asked. Link sighed.

"Well, it's a tomb." At Zelda's wide-eyed look, Link smiled weakly. "I have only found this yesterday, so it's obvious that I don't know it all about this place yet. My guess is that it's a tomb. Look on the far wall, opposite of the door," he suggested softly.

Zelda turned away from him and walked to the wall he'd indicated. She squinted in the darkness, seeing that some carvings had been made into the stone. She could not read them, however. All she could see were a few numbers. A year.

1007. Her breath caught in her throat, and the sound echoed around the small room. She turned back around to face Link, who was admiring a statue curiously.

"This is a millennium old," she whispered, and the sound carried to him without trouble. He turned to her, his face half in the darkness, and she saw him smile.

"Yes. It dates back to the first generation of Harkinian. But this is not the tomb of a Harkinian."

Zelda blinked. "How so?"

Link walked up to her, looking at the memorial carvings on the wall, thoughtfully. "Had this been a royal tomb, or even seigniorial, the man would have been buried within a temple, or a church, where he was protected from thieves and the likes of them." He seemed truly immersed in his thought pattern. "I think that this is the tomb of a warrior. Soldiers of the times were buried away from sacred places, for having committed sins against the goddesses Din, Farore and Nayru, but were sometimes given the honour of getting a burial in a high place like a mountain, or an old battlefield."

"Weren't they afraid to have the tomb robbed?" Zelda asked softly, staring at Link's profile, vividly interested. He looked down at her, smiling thoughtfully.

"It was a common notion in those days to think that warriors could kill thieves, and that the soul of a great warrior stayed around to keep watch. More than anything, the thieves were fearful of warriors, and would not risk raiding their tombs."

Zelda nodded in fascination. "And you can't decipher the identity of our warrior?"

Link smiled faintly at her, shook his head and turned away. Zelda watched him as he returned to a statue and started scraping dirt off it. She frowned.

"Do you not know?" She asked, piqued. Link gazed back at her.

"I don't need to read the memorial to guess who this man was," he cryptically declared. Zelda's frustration died down, replaced by curiosity.

"And I don't suppose you'll tell me?" She asked. Link chuckled, the warm sound deflecting on the walls and becoming a bit eerie.

"Zelda, this man was one of the first to start the lineage. It was often rumoured that his tomb was on this land. Though he was the Lady Zelda's spouse, he was, first and foremost, the greatest warrior to have come upon the land. Rumours say he even travelled through time, though such legends are really just that: legends."

But Zelda's mind had focused only on one word. "Did you say . . .? The spouse of Lady . . ."

"Lady Zelda Harkinian," Link smiled. "Your lineage had another Zelda. She was the first of the Harkinian line. The tales say that she was our warrior's best ally and closest companion. When he came back from the war against a lord from the desert, during which he'd supposedly have travelled through time, they fell in love, as was bound to happen, and married."

Zelda smiled at Link's simple storytelling. "And when he died, they buried him here?"

Link nodded. "You may not have noticed, but the doorway to this tomb overhangs directly the royal cemetery down in the valley, where his love is buried. It also lies higher than every other tomb, as though to symbolize that he watches over the land even after death."

Zelda felt excitement bubbling inside of her. She was in the tomb of her oldest patriarchal ancestor. It was more than most people could ever say, that was for sure!

She turned to Link once again. "You haven't told me his name, Link."

Link licked his lips. "He was known as the Hero of Time. The tales named him so, because of the time-travelling thing."

Zelda's eyebrow hitched high on her forehead, and she came close to Link, putting a hand on his arm. She was looking reproachful. "That was his name? Hero of Time?" She was clearly urging him to spill the information.

Link sighed in surrender. "Alright, alright." He pinned her with a look. "Records tell that his name was . . . Well, Link."

A long silence followed. Finally, Zelda started trembling, and Link glanced at her worriedly. Giggles erupted from her, and she was soon holding her sides in carefree laughter. He hesitatingly let out a few chuckles. Eventually, she looked at him with mirth filled eyes. "You . . . You are absolutely priceless," she whispered, a few giggles still in her throat.

Link cocked his head to the side suspiciously, "How so? You don't believe me?"

She placed a pale hand on his arm, and put her forehead to his shoulder, still trembling with a few chuckles. "No, I _do_ believe you. It's just . . . Did you refrain from telling me because you thought I'd think you're lying?"

Link looked away briefly, before rolling his head back to face her and pinned her with a direct look. She smiled.

"I thought so." Her hand came up to pat his cheek. "You're adorable, Link. I hope we stay in touch."

Eventually, the serious in Link's eyes melted away and was replaced by a small, sincere smile. "I hope so, too. You're quite adorable yourself."

Zelda peered into his warm, bright blue eyes, and felt her heart warm up. She inched closer to him, so close they were practically nose-to-nose.

Link held his breath softly, and they both felt themselves lean into each other.

And then, he started speaking, and his soft voice echoed on the walls, piercing through the haze that had clouded their minds. He was just as surprised as she was to hear himself say, "Have dinner with me tonight."

Zelda smiled. "What other stories may you tell me then, Hero of Climb?"

Link smirked back. "Oh, I've got tons of things to say, if you choose to listen."

Her grin was playful as she leant forward, placing her hands on his arms. "Such as?" She breathed.

"I can tell you all about how Link and Zelda had four children."

She laughed. "Oh, indeed, I'm sure you could demonstrate, even. However, I'm afraid you'll have to deal with just dinner tonight."

Link chuckled, picking his bag up and walking her to the entrance again. "I could deal, if only to see you again."

Zelda smiled fondly at him, before ducking to exit the tomb. Link let her take a few steps head-start, just in case, and as he waited, turned to the large slab of stone on the tomb floor, under which he knew Link, the Hero of Time lay at peace. And, smiling, he whispered, his voice carrying just enough to echo once and not reach Zelda, "Don't worry, big guy. I am no thief. I intend to protect her as you did all this time. You may rest. Your descendent is safe."

He waited a few seconds, before nodding to himself and ducking out, feeling lighter than he had when he'd walked in.

It was just a summer afternoon like many others long gone.

_From behind these walls I hear your song  
__Oh, sweet words  
__The music that you play lights up my world  
__The sweetest that I've heard  
__Could it be that I've been touched and turned  
__Oh Lord, please finally…finally things are changing_

_**This land is mine but I'll let you rule  
**__**I let you navigate and demand  
**__**Just as long as you know…this land is mine  
**__**So find your home and settle in  
**__**Oh, I'm ready to let you in  
**__**Just as long as we know…this land is mine**_

_After all the battles and the wars  
__The scars and loss  
__I'm still the queen of my domain  
__and feeling stronger now  
__The walls are down a little more each day  
__Since you came, finally…finally things are changing_

_**This land is mine but I'll let you rule  
**__**I let you navigate and demand  
**__**Just as long as you know…this land is mine  
**__**So find your home and settle in  
**__**Oh, I'm ready to let you in  
**__**Just as long as we know…this land is mine**_

_Follow the days I've traveled alone  
__In this cold and colorless place till now  
__It's what I had to pay_

_**This land is mine but I'll let you rule  
**__**I let you navigate and demand  
**__**Just as long as you know…this land is mine  
**__**So find your home and settle in  
**__**Oh, I'm ready to let you in  
**__**Just as long as we know…this land is mine**_

_This land is mine and I let you rule  
__I let you navigate and demand  
__Just as long as you know…this land is mine._

_**(This Land Is Mine (Dido))**_

* * *

**Thank you for reading. Please review, if you have any time to spare. **

**Love,**

**CM**


	2. Part 2 of 3

**Hey, everybody, happy to see you all again. Sorry for being late and all. It's actually a miracle that I got off my ass and updated. The third and last part is written, so it's coming up soon. I just need a few more details and all that.**

(Tout l'or des hommes  
ne vaut plus rien...  
si tu es loin de moi  
Tout l'amour du monde ne me fait rien  
alors surtout ne change pas.―Tout l'or des hommes - Céline Dion)

**(Translation:  
**All mankind's gold  
Is worthless…  
If you are far from me  
All the love of this world does nothing to me  
So please don't change.―All mankind's gold- Céline Dion)

**Nothing New  
****Part 2  
****By CM**

It was late already. Zelda barely glanced at the hands of her glow watch and readjusted the tray with steaming cups on her arm, lifting with her other hand the strap of her bag and shouldering it. It was dark, but she stepped out of the café nonetheless. It was a fresh night, with leftover heat from the day and frisky wind from the north. She made the way to her car, placing the tray with the two cups carefully on the passenger seat, and sighed as she turned on the ignition.

She drove straight to her estate. It was only a few minutes up the road, on a climbing trail, and the now familiar gravel crunched under her tires. The car drove under an age-old stone gate, which loomed over her, lit by spots hidden in the bushes.

She parked the car outside the main building, which had been renovated to be an entrance and tourist souvenir shop. The glass door jingled a small bell, resounding in the closed shop with a 'ding!' She breezed passed the counters and postcards, cups in hand and purse on her shoulder once again.

Softly pushing the door behind the counter open, she entered the back room, knowing what she would see.

Link Forester, bent over a metal, rusted artefact, shot up to help her put everything down. Zelda smiled, politely pecking both his cheeks, the usual greeting between friends, and offered him one of the cups.

"I figured," she explained at his curious blink, "that you wouldn't be reasonable and get some sleep, so here's to you and your devotion to work."

Raising the other Styrofoam cup, mocking a toast, she flipped the plastic lid off and took a sip of the steaming coffee. When she looked at Link, he was staring at his own cup with a look of surprise. He looked up at her again, pinning her with a wondering gaze.

"How did you know I liked espressos?"

Zelda huffed, shaking her head and shrugging, looking at him as though he were a bit slow. "You always take an espresso when we meet down at the restaurant in the morning."

Link blinked again, before looking back down at his coffee, and back up at her. "Oh. That's right. Thanks."

And he proceeded to down half his cup. Zelda gazed at him in silence, pressing her lips together, before speaking, as he tried to wipe the corner of his lips with a finger trying to be as subtle as possible, "what in the world kept you so busy today?"

Link shot her an apologetic look, putting the cup down and dusting his hands on the sides of his slacks, as he often did when he was about to get into something or other, and motioned for her to walk closer to the busy table. She obeyed and looked down at the old fashioned, rusty blade, laying flat on the table alongside its scabbard. She smiled, seeing the ancient Hylian crest on both pieces.

Being the last descendent of the Harkinian family, she knew what her family's coat-of-arms and history were, though not half as well as Link Forester, the youngest, but possibly most gifted historian on the grounds. For a reason she could not fathom, Link was both fascinated by her ancestors and the land they lived in, having discovered new areas to the estate and ancient fortress ruins.

The day Zelda had come back to her family's estate, the chief of the land's safe-keeping had presented her to Link, and they'd been friends ever since. Link was, unlike Rauru (the previously mentioned fearless leader of archaeological researches), capable of discussing other topics than history, though it still remained his one true love, to Zelda's secret chagrin.

Because, fortunately for her, or unfortunately, perhaps, Link Forester was not only gifted with incredible intellectual skills, he was also gifted with very agreeable looks. With skin only lightly tanned from working out alternately in the shade of trees and sunlit mountainsides, and eyes a deep, cheerful blue, and sun-touched, dirty blonde hair, Link Forester was definitely enough to make any normally constituted woman sigh.

And Zelda was every bit a normally constituted woman.

"You noticed your family's crest, I suppose," Link's smooth voice pulled her out of her thoughts, "I was actually busy cleaning that sword you saw last week when I showed you the Hero of Time's tomb."

Zelda smiled, not daring to touch the rusty blade, having noticed Link take cloth gloves off as he greeted her a few minutes ago. She smiled because Link never dared calling the Hero of Time by his true name.

Because Link and the Hero shared the same name, and, for some reason, the fact made him a bit uncomfortable. Zelda was rather sure it had to do with how the Hero of Time had married one of her great, great, great grandmothers, after whom she herself had been named.

And it would just figure he'd know about it. In fact, he'd been the one to tell her about it.

"I'm cleaning it up a bit because," Link explained, "I want to see if I can spare the carvings and if I can give the metal a treatment to keep it from rusting anymore than it already has."

Zelda nodded, smiling still. Link was standing close behind her watching her expression, as he often did. He seemed to think she was every bit as interesting a piece of history as the rest of her estate.

Though she sometimes caught herself hoping that he just liked looking at her, but that seemed unlikely, knowing Link.

"You were working on the shield yesterday, weren't you?" She asked, turning her face to his, enjoying how he looked away in embarrassment, as he often did when she caught him staring at her.

"I was," Link confirmed. He sidestepped her, hurriedly running to a large, flat, curved object covered in thick brown paper that lay across the room on a table pushed against the wall. He picked it up, carrying it back to her, and lay it atop a stack of books. He carefully unfolded the flaps of paper, and revealed the shield beneath.

Zelda leant over, feeling awe take over her. The neon lights reflected off the ridges, the edges, and grooves, and faded colours caught her eye. The Hylian religious symbol, the Triforce, and the country's ancient emblem, the Phoenix, were clearly represented, cleanly cut out on the metal board. It seemed a sturdy defence, as slashes had clearly chipped some of the colour away (Zelda caught herself wondering whom her ancestor had fought so courageously), but never had it been broken.

Link carefully traced the edge of the shield with the tip of his finger, as a modern boy would touch a car, but true care and appreciation were etched on his face. This time she caught herself staring at him.

When he met her eyes, his lips stretched into a thin, heartfelt smile. Her heart thudded, and she shot him a brief smile, going back to her cup of coffee, nervous.

"This piece," Link explained as he cleared his throat, "was a very expensive one in the time. It wasn't melted into a mould, but actually hand made. The symbols on the front are meant to symbolize eternal hope. At least, when used together, they are. The Phoenix, eternal, and the Triforce, a commonly used synonym for hope."

Zelda nodded, downing the rest of her coffee and throwing the empty cup into a nearby trashcan. Link motioned for her to come back and look at the blade, his eyes lighting up as they often did.

"This," he excitedly commented, indicated the sword, "is a one of a kind sword, made expressively for a close relation of the crown. The Hero of Time was known as such for stories that were made into legends, and for which, quite obviously, he was highly regarded. The handle is tainted metal," he went on, and Zelda had to hold back a dreamy sigh as she nodded. For some reason, the way the words rolled off his tongue was enough to make ladies want to swoon. His accent was soft, and his voice was steady. He was not rough or high-pitched.

Obviously unaware of his charm, Link went on with excitement. "Tainted metal was extremely hard to make. Especially metal of this purple colour. The pigments were natural and had to be very resistant to heat, so that they didn't burn when mixed with the molten metal. The usual method was to apply the pigments as the piece was still red-hot but not liquid. Nobody ever uses this technique anymore, because the time and effort it costs are not worth it. Besides, the colouring being natural, it takes a lot of plants to make a very small quantity of pigment. Our Hero of Time," he concluded his explanation with a cheerful smile despite the late hour, "was worth the time and effort."

Zelda hadn't taken her eyes off the sword. "And the crest indicates that it belonged to my great, great, great, great grandfather."

Link nodded, putting on some cloth gloves and handing her an extra pair for her to put on. He picked the sword up and gripped the handle, carefully.

"Do you want to weigh it?" He asked, as twinkle in his eye. Zelda stared at him warily.

"I bet it's really heavy, and you're just pretending it's nothing," she muttered. Link laughed, handing her the blade as she outstretched her hands.

The shock of feeling the sword's lightness made Zelda gasp. Link grinned. She lifted it up and down slowly, awed.

"I was surprised too," he commented. "I picked it up and I was so ready to take up a heavy object that I almost stumbled backwards." He grinned wider. "But it's as light as wood."

Zelda gently put the sword back on the table, shaking her head. She turned back at Link, who was staring down at it with a thin smile. She took the gloves off and placed them neatly on the table, all the while saying, "I've been in the area for a week now, and things back in the city are calming down." She uncomfortably went on as he gazed at her, a curious frown on his face. "I have business to take care of there, and I can't stay in the countryside forever. Unfortunately," she added, feeling like she had to precise it to him. "In any case," her discomfort was obvious, "I'm afraid I won't be coming back before some time. Things there are crazy, and it's a miracle I got away before they called me back." She sighed. "But I can't run away all the time."

"What is there to run away from?" Link's frown had gone from curious to serious. "You're not being harassed, are you?"

"No, that's not exactly it," Zelda hastily corrected. "It's just that when I refused to sell the estate to the consulate, well, my advisors disagreed. Especially Ganondorf Dragmire." She noticed Link's gaze darken unsurely, and she explained. "He's a very influent man, and he wanted to make the land part of the greater ownership. I wasn't ready to sell, and he got a bit angry. So I came here to let them cool down."

Link said nothing, not encouraging her to continue, but not discouraging either. For some reason, she felt she had to justify herself. "You see, I'm usually quite willing to give in to those things, but this time around, I wasn't ready. I needed closure before I return tomorrow."

Link's eyes became expressive again, and they showed slight anxiety. "You wanted closure? Closure on what? Leaving tomorrow?"

"I can't refuse stubbornly forever. When I go back, it'll be because I'm ready to sell."

Link's eyes unsurely gazed down at hers, and she read the disbelief in them.

"You want," he muttered, "to sell your family's estate?" He seemed both shocked and severely hurt. "You're willing to give it all away to the consulate?" The feelings of betrayal made him sound sharper than he meant to. Zelda felt it stab her heart, but Link didn't leave her any time to explain. "So you were just delaying it?" He shook his head, as though he couldn't believe it. He paced away from her, before turning back to her, and this time she had no doubt. He was hurt. "Did you come here, knowing all the time that you were to sell it all away?" He asked. "You . . . pretended . . . to be awed? You don't actually care about this place?"

She felt her heart throb as Link's thought train made him scowl, as though disgusted.

"You never really meant what you said. You thought it would make it better on the team if you befriended them before selling them off?"

"You won't be fired―" Zelda tried explaining, but he cut her off, much to her shock.

"That's not the point!" He exclaimed. "You don't understand. If the consulate takes control of this land, and they have intended to since long before you came last week, trust me, they're going to pillage the historical landmark your family preserved. They want to make this place a resort or something. They've been around the place all spring doing some prospecting, and there wasn't a darn thing we could do about it."

Zelda, frozen into her spot, didn't say a word. Link's expression softened to one of betrayal as he interpreted her silence.

"And you knew," he whispered in conclusion. "You knew all along." He stayed silent a long moment, before noticing his half-empty coffee cup, and motioned to it with his chin. "Thanks for the coffee, but I think I need a day off."

He covered the artefacts with brown paper carefully and stormed past her, his shoulder barely grazing hers, as he opened the door and disappeared into the dark shop. Zelda shook herself out of her own hurt, and turned on her heel, hurrying after him.

He was looking for his car keys, and the bell to the shop dinged again. She didn't let the door close, pulling it open wide enough to surge into the fresh night air. In the night silence, the only thing aside from the rustling of trees and crunching of gravel was her voice calling him. "Link!"

He didn't seem to hear her, fumbling with his keys to find his car's in the dark. She put a hand on his arm, and he stopped moving, stubbornly looking annoyed.

"Link, please," she begged. And, as it was the only thing that came to her mind, she tightened her hold only slightly on his sleeve. "Link, take me to the tower." Her voice wavered.

He said nothing for a long while, but he finally pocketed his keys and shrugged her hand off his arm. Then, shoving his hands in his pockets, he turned and made his way down the weakly lit pathway, as though he wanted to be over and done with her. Zelda couldn't see his eyes, but she was sure they were chillingly cold because of her. Her chest constricted painfully, but still she followed him silently.

It took a good ten minutes for them to get to the small ancient building on the top of the hill. They were surrounded by trees, and since there were no actual lights installed yet, as it was a new section they'd discovered roughly a week ago, Link and Zelda were standing in the dark, the only light coming from the stars, which were clearly visible. Down in the valley, she could see the houses and roads. The sight was as beautiful by night as it was by day.

Though at the moment, she wasn't inclined to observe the scenery.

To her surprise, Link was the one who broke the awkward silence first, his voice carefully inexpressive. "So, this Ganondorf guy . . . You like him that much?"

Zelda, horrified, turned her head to stare at him. He wasn't looking at her, instead turning his face towards the night sky. She spoke, since he wasn't watching her. "No! I― I could not― He's― No." She declared. "No, I don't care for him at all."

"And still, you agree to giving him your most valuable possession?"

Zelda, who was feeling tears well up in her eyes, responded, "You have no idea how much it would entail if I didn't give in."

"I rather think that _you_ don't."

All right, now the tears were actually pouring over for real. She hoped he didn't hear the tremor in her voice as she answered, "This isn't about what I want or not. The consulate has power, Link." At his name, she felt her voice falter, and had to catch her breath to keep going. "They don't take no for an answer."

"What could they have done to make you so scared?" Link asked, incensed.

"Nothing," she whispered. "Yet."

It was then that Link chose to turn and gaze at her, an unreadable expression on his face. The only thing that reassured her was that he didn't look angry anymore. A long, breathless moment passed, and she waited for him to do something.

Which he promptly did.

"Zelda," he asked, his voice soft once more, "let's not talk about it anymore. If you're uncomfortable, I have no right to make you feel worse about it. Let's just . . ." He sighed, dusting his hands on his slacks again in discomfort, "let's just . . . take it like responsible adults. You're right, I don't know how it is, and so I shouldn't be making any hasty judgments." He looked awkwardly at her, uneasily searching for his words. "Please don't cry anymore, okay? I hate it. To see you cry, I mean, not― well, I mean . . ."

Wiping her eyes with the back of her hand, Zelda smiled weakly. Link took a step closer to her carefully, in case she wanted to keep her distance, but closed the gap between them and brought a hand behind her shoulder, hugging her closer to him, ill at ease. They turned to face the dark horizon, watching the night sky studded with stars. Through her last tears, Zelda felt their light diffuse, and she smiled softly.

"I wish I could stay forever," she whispered, "and forget that I have issues to work out back there."

Link said nothing, but she felt his hold on her shoulder tighten, as though he wanted to prevent her leave by restraining her bodily. Her heart flip-flopped in her chest as she briefly pictured Link throwing himself in the car's way tomorrow as she passed the gates, begging her to stay.

She knew it wouldn't happen, but it would be quite interesting indeed. Of course, she wouldn't knock him over, but if he chose to pull her out of her car and kidnap her to the highest room of the highest tower in the region, she was sure she'd develop the quickest Stockholm syndrome in history.

Not that she would mind, of course. Love for a jailer such as Link might turn out to be quite exciting.

"Zelda," his voice, coming from so close beside her, made her turn slightly to look at him. He was gazing up at the stars, and she had a very nice view of his throat. "I don't want you to leave."

Oh, this wasn't exactly as lively as the kidnapping option, but it certainly retained other romantic notions. She definitely didn't mind.

"I have to." Her voice was a whisper. Link looked down at her, and his arm snaked down from her shoulder and around the back of her waist.

"Do you really have to leave tomorrow?"

"Yes." Would this trigger anything desperate from him?

Apparently not. Link sighed, and shifted from one foot to the other uncomfortably. He finally gathered the breath to ask, "When will you sign the papers?"

Zelda, frustrated to conclude that Link really didn't care more for her than he did for his historical mistress, tried to bite back her disappointment and answered as softly as he'd spoken, "Maybe in a few days. I'm sorry."

"No." Link turned to look at her, boring his gaze into her eyes. "No, don't apologize. I'm the one who's sorry." He let out a breath, pausing a long moment, before releasing her waist. "Look, I'll try to be there for when you have to do it, okay?" Zelda, taken aback, gazed at him in bewilderment. Her surprise showed, and Link explained himself. "I just want to be there if you need me." He hesitated, before adding, "As any friend would do."

Zelda was silent a long moment, before smiling at him. A soft smile spread on his face as well. She knew he was disappointed. She knew he was hurt, and still he wanted to stay her friend? Her heart swelled.

"As any friend would do," Zelda repeated, a bit dazed that he would care enough to want to support her. She was shocked her actually knew she needed it in the first place. She was pretty sure she'd put up the independent façade. How had he known?

She supposed it came with being Link, and the conclusion made her long for him.

They stayed silent and thoughtful for a long moment, until Link brought his wrist watch close to his face and lit it up to check the time. He finally turned his face to look at her, and said, in a soft, smooth voice that made her melt inside, "It's ten to midnight. Do you want me to take you to your hotel, or do you want to stop by a café for a drink with me?"

To her great sorrow, Zelda had to answer, "Well, the road will be long tomorrow. I'm afraid I'll have to catch all the sleep I can tonight."

She was sure she saw defeat shine briefly in Link's eyes, and she knew it matched her own, but he didn't put up a fight. Taking hold of her hand in his warm one, he guided her down the hill again.

Zelda knew, almost for sure, that this would be the last evening she'd ever spend with him. As they made their way on the dark, earthy path, she remembered every day she'd spent in the past week. In all her life, she couldn't ever recall another moment where she'd felt so welcome and genuinely liked.

In the past few days, she'd wake up around eight, which she considered late, by city standards, and would take her time to leisurely shower and dress. Then, she could meet Link at the local breakfast café, and they'd eat together. Link would often tell her about the day ahead of him, and she would listen intently, fascinated by the light in his blue eyes.

And she'd fleetingly wonder if he'd ever speak of her that way one day.

After breakfast, they'd part ways temporarily for him to get to the site and she to tour the area, as she liked to explore other landmarks. She'd spend a few hours in a place or other, before returning to the estate and meeting with Link. Near noon he was practically always on the field, and it was like a treasure hunt to find him.

Needless to say, seeing Link sweaty from work was definitely what she would call a treasure worth hunting.

He'd always look surprised to see her again, as though he wasn't aware of the time he'd spent working, and he'd apologize for the awful sight (he meant him dirty and sweaty, though she never really minded, since he'd often work only in slacks and a white, tight camisole that contrasted with his slightly tanned skin), and she'd laugh. Then, he'd pick up his tools, or leave them in the care of the rest of the team, and they'd go back to the main building, where Link would take a quick shower in the tiny bathroom, then come out clean and wet-haired (she'd often ruffle it teasingly, though she really just loved touching it) and smelling like Ivory soap.

And he'd treat her to dinner. No matter how much she argued, he kept on paying for her. It wasn't as though she hadn't tried to pay in secret for her part of the meal, but he'd always manage to get it done before she could react.

Then, he'd listen to her as she spoke of her exploration of local sites, and he'd smile and nod in response as he ravenously devoured his sandwich or whatever it was he was eating. And he'd suggest a visit to another place for the next day, and she'd nod in interest as he described it to her in such vivid details that she knew exactly what the place looked like before she set foot in it the following day.

And they'd part ways again, though this time it was for her to discuss important matters with her office in the city from her hotel room, and he to get back to the estate and analyse and classify whatever the team had uncovered before noon.

When suppertime came around, Link would usually be waiting in the lobby to the hotel by the time she came down, both all dressed up, and he'd smile, extend his arm, and take her to local restaurants, places only locals would know, where you could eat delectable specialties at an impossibly low price. She'd had the occasion to taste wonderful filets and delicious regional wine in calm and chic little house-turned-bistro places, with candles and local musicians playing on a cheap but sturdy stage in the back. They'd usually talk until it was dark out, and Link would pay the note, no matter how much she argued, before taking her back to the valley village.

There, they'd spend time discovering new cafés, which seemed to be overabundant in the area, and taste every known dessert possible. When Link didn't have any suggestions to make, they'd take combos and share, stealing bites from each other's plates. And they'd keep talking.

They never would run out of subjects to talk about. Zelda had discovered so many things about Link in the past week. She'd found out he'd always been fascinated by history, and that he'd studied ancient languages in college to be able to decipher texts when he found them. And she'd discovered he had one younger sister, who was still in high school, and she'd found out that Link's sister was a proud vegetarian and intelligent girl, like her brother. And she'd discovered that Link had been a boy scout at the age of seven, until they kicked him out because he always wanted to walk off and explore new places, to the point where he got every other boy in the band curious about things too. And those were just a fraction of what he'd revealed.

She, on her part, had also told a bit about herself. She told him how she inherited the estate after her father died in a car accident when she was eighteen, and how she regularly sent money to her retreated mother. She told him how she always dreamed to be a dancer, but had to relent her wish because her mother needed immediate financial support. Now she aimed at being a leader in managing, and was very satisfied of the way her life had gone so far.

With their desserts done, Link would escort her back to her hotel, and she'd peck both his cheeks (she wouldn't dare try his lips. They weren't dating, after all!), and he'd say goodnight in a way that would make her knees go weak, and she'd reluctantly part with him until the next morning.

It was strange how they'd fallen into such a daily routine. They hadn't really spoken of anything. They'd done it once, and it'd become their schedule.

The simple life Zelda had been leading had fooled her into thinking it would last forever.

It was what she was contemplating as Link took her keys and sat her in the passenger seat, quietly taking place behind the wheel. It was what she was contemplating as he led her up the steps to the entrance of the hotel.

What made her snap out of it, however, was how he didn't kiss her cheek goodnight. He didn't at all.

She caught his wrist as he was turning away, and spun him around the best she could, staring up at him with a frown. He looked down at her, embarrassed, and she knew he knew what he'd omitted.

"I thought we were still friends," she murmured, trying to disguise her hurt.

Link sighed, taking her chin and lifting it up as though he wanted to raise her spirits as well. "Zelda, we are still friends. But I was an ass to you and you would have every right not to kiss my cheek."

She scowled at him, feeling her fear ebb away, replaced by playfulness. "I think I have the right to choose, don't I?"

Link nodded, a faint smile on his lips. "Yes, though I'm surprised you're not angry at me."

"I'm not." His fingers were about to slip away from her chin, but she grabbed them before they could fall back to his side. "Link, this past week has been like paradise on Earth to me. It means a lot that you showed me around and paid for my meals, though I could have done so myself―"

"―I'm just treating my guest," Link defended himself, as he had often before. She laughed softly.

"I just mean to say . . . well, thank you. You are the most reliable person I know, and you are interesting, and you have qualities that anyone can admire. Thank you for letting me join you on your mealtimes."

He smiled, and she had to stop and admire that too.

"I enjoyed this past week too, Zelda."

And then, without any warning, he swept down and kissed her right on the lips. Her eyes widened in shock, before her heart started hammering and her eyes fell closed. He was as talented a conversationalist as he was a kisser, apparently.

By the gods, why couldn't she just have shut her trap about selling the estate?

The thought seemed to occur to him as well, as he pulled back roughly and licked his lips nervously and stared at her in shock. Apparently, he hadn't planned his little outbreak of tenderness. Which was why he stammered apologetically, his breathing erratic, "Uh, I― I'm sorry, I didn't― I shouldn't . . . I, uh . . ."

Well. It seemed this impromptu kiss had made him as breathless as she was.

Which was why Zelda had to ensure, strictly for scientific purposes, that she truly could make him do crazy, unreasonable things. Like respond to the kiss she suddenly pressed to his lips, for example.

There was something almost sacred to the way he kissed her, as though he was revering every second of it. On her part, it was simply mind-blowing. Literally. She felt like her brain had receded to some dark area at the back of her skull, and that her heart had leaped out of her chest to go flip-flop on the sidewalk. And it bounced and jumped and―

Suddenly, the kiss ended. She wasn't sure how long they stood, staring at each other like that, but she knew one thing: as he walked away, he was shaky and his step was unsure, as though he were dazed. That was a very good sign indeed. She hoped he would make it back home alright.

She climbed to her room, she stripped of her clothes and changed into her pyjamas, and snuggled under her covers, her mind full of images of Link.

She was about to fall asleep when she realized that she wouldn't be seeing him anymore before a long, long time, and that she hadn't had time to tell him a few very important things.

Mainly one thing.

She loved him.

* * *

Wherever you are tonight  
**I'll see you in my dreams  
Wherever I go tomorrow  
**You'll be here next to me

And though we are a world apart  
I know you'll never be that far

'cause here in my heart  
There's a picture of us  
**Together forever  
Unfaded and unbroken  
Wherever you are  
**Your love covers me  
Forever more you'll be  
Here in my heart

Whenever I miss you so much  
It's more than I can bear  
**I won't cry, I'll just close my eyes  
And know you'll be there**

**Your kiss and your touch  
I'll never forget  
'cause you're as close  
As my very next breath**

'cause here in my heart  
There's a picture of us  
Together forever  
Unfaded and unbroken  
Wherever you are  
Your love covers me  
**Forever more you'll be  
Here in my heart**

_(Here in My Heart - Plus One)_


	3. Part 3 of 3

**Hey again! This is finally over in what I hope to be a good end for this three-shot. I hope you enjoyed these as much as I did. It's late now, so do take care. **

**Love,**

**CM

* * *

**

(Je ne me doutais pas qu'un jour  
Même si pourtant je l'attendais  
Que j'allais rencontrer l'amour  
Que l'amour lui ressemblerait. ―Je pense à lui -Maria (Don Juan))

(**Translation:**  
I never thought that one day  
Even though I waited for him  
That I'd one day meet love  
And that love would look like him. ―I'm ThinkingofHim - Maria (Don Juan))

**Nothing New  
Part 3  
By CM**

"I've got a major problem, here."

"You tell me. Zelda, you have to concentrate!"

Zelda paced back and forth between the sinks and the stalls, stopping at the sinks once in a while and opening and closing the taps. Malon was anxiously kneading her hands together, trying to calm her nervous breathing, but to no avail. Zelda barely realized what she was doing, until Malon gripped her shoulders and shook her.

"Stop washing your hands. It's not going to get you out of this one."

Zelda took in a deep breath, wanting to tear up the document that Malon was holding. Her eyes burned through it. She looked up at Malon, who was gazing at her, every bit as stressed as she was. The young red-haired secretary was anxious for her boss and friend. Her big blue eyes were wide with tension.

The fair-haired young woman grabbed the paper from Malon and re-read it for what seemed the thousandth time. Her eyes skimmed over every letter without actually reading them. She knew the document by heart. She felt the nerves at the end of her fingertips going cold, as though she was holding ice instead of paper.

She did not want to do this. Only two weeks ago, it would have been just another formality, but today, after coming back from _there_, it was a matter of personal happiness. She could endanger a whole landmark, and everything she'd learned to hold dear in the past week would fall into nothingness. She feared it more than anything.

Just down the hall, in that goddamn conference room, her last belongings were being taken. Her last lands were taken from her family, and her stomach churned at the mere thought of it. The members of the consulate could strip her of every last bit of money she had.

Were status and political strength worth losing Hyrule Castle? Were they worth losing the village at its base? Were they worth losing all the little restaurants that lived of tourism?

Were they worth losing . . . him?

Malon put a comforting hand to her shoulder. "Zelda, it's alright. It's just one tiny bit of land. And small estate with a few rocks on it. Zelda, that's what you told me two weeks ago. What happened? Zelda?"

Of course, Malon knew nothing of him. She knew nothing of how her heart had been taken in the past week. How it had, or so she hoped, been taken and preserved. Malon didn't know how wonderful that estate was. She didn't know all the marvels it hid, nor the people it had housed. She didn't know how important to her family's history Hyrule Castle was. A few rocks on a bit of land, they were, indeed.

But they were the most beautiful and important historical rocks on the most impressive and secretive and wonderful land she had ever had.

And now, she was to sign it away without reserve? Where would she find the courage to sign her estate away? To sign _him_ and Rauru and the rest of the archaeological team away?

She feared that her courage had stayed at his side when they shared that kiss. That atrocious, traitorous, mind-blowing kiss. She wasn't sure whether he understood how much of her he'd stolen, that evening, a week or so ago.

Though she couldn't help but thinking about him ever since. Link Forester, the most endearing, kind, interesting, understanding man she'd ever been given the chance to meet. And he was handsome, and a good kisser, and goodness, he haunted her every waking moment.

But she would not see him again if she signed the document between her fingers. The thought alone was enough to make her blood run cold.

She had not been warm since the day she left that hotel in the valley below the castle ruins. She had gotten progressively colder as the miles flew by and stayed behind her. Her heart had gone numb with hurt and guilt. She was about to betray him and everyone back there, and Link, the only one she could not bear to lose, was the only one who knew.

And still, he'd kissed her at the end of the evening, shaking her to the core.

Malon peered at her over the lenses of her reading glasses. "Zelda? Zelda, are you listening to me?"

The fair-haired woman shook herself out of her melancholy and gazed at her secretary. "Malon, I have a question." At her companion's hesitant nod, she asked, "If you had to choose between love and reputation, which would you choose?"

Malon, surprised, answered, her response heartfelt, "I'd go for love, of course."

Understanding her mistake internally, Zelda sighed. Malon was eternally wishing for a knight in shining armour and firmly believed in romance novels. Of course she'd opt for love over reputation.

"Even if you risked not having love in return?"

At that, Malon had to think. She pulled the reading glasses off her nose, folding them and tucking them into her breast pocket with a pen, frowning in thought. Finally, she looked up at Zelda and said, "Instead of asking me cryptic questions, why don't you tell me the whole story instead?"

A knock at the bathroom door resounded, and they both turned to face the closed panel. An embarrassed male voice boomed from the other side. "Miss Harkinian, Miss Lon, are you alright? Mister Dragmire and company are wondering if you are well . . ."

Malon cleared her throat and answered, voice steadier than Zelda's ever would be, "We're well, give us a minute. We apologize for the wait."

There was no answer, and they waited a few seconds before Zelda turned back at Malon and went, pale and breathless, "It's too late now anyway. I'm sorry I couldn't explain."

Malon pulled on Zelda's sleeve to make her face back. "You don't apologize. I can guess what happened: you met a guy while you were out in the country, and now you fear that he'll be betrayed if you sell this estate. And you don't want to sell anymore because, after a night of passion, you are pregnant with his child and want him to be there when you give birth."

Zelda blinked, amazed at Malon's overactive imagination. "Until the part with the night of passion, you were right," she admitted.

"Oh, so you didn't even spend a night with him?" Malon asked, snide. Zelda motioned for her to be quiet as they walked out of the bathroom.

"I don't feel like discussing what happened and what didn't right now, Malon."

Sobering up, her secretary apologized quietly. She motioned to the document that Zelda still held in her hands. "So, you'll be selling after all?"

Zelda could only nod, unable to speak. A ball of anguish was building up in her throat, and her stomach was turning over as they got closer and closer to the end of the hallway. She could see the consulate members behind the thick glass pane, discussing trivial matters.

To think they would destroy her history to make God-knows-what, a golf course perhaps, made her want to run back to the bathroom and scream in agony.

The lower consul's greeting was sickening in its sweetness. She wondered if they'd go so far as offer her a pen or a golf ball with their name on it. A quick glance around the table told her they expected this matter to be over with soon. They seemed impatient to get down to planning their resort.

Zelda slipped the paper back on the table, and she saw all the consuls take a look at the bottom of it, and then sit back in disappointment. Malon took a place near the door, hugging a notepad to herself. Zelda took in a deep, shuddering breath. Across the table, Ganondorf Dragmire, leader of the consulate and billionaire, shot her a victorious, snide smirk. It made her feel ill. He knew what her actions meant to her, and he enjoyed, revelled, in her discomfort.

And suddenly, she met his gaze, and found, with a slight tinge of surprise, that it did not hurt. Of course, a look could not hurt. And his eyes did not burn hers, like she seemed to have thought.

And, encouragingly, she did not feel fear as she found she could meet his gaze evenly. All she discovered in his gaze was a supreme confidence and disgusting self-satisfaction. She would have given anything to have him rid of it.

The urge to wipe that smirk right off that tanned face of his became surprisingly alluring.

And, in a fraction of a second, all the confidence he'd been exuding transferred to her, and he was left feeling doubt and anxiety. Her anger took over, but she didn't let it show. Instead, her numb fingers picked the paper again, and she borrowed a pen from one of the eager consuls. She smiled at him, revealing all her white teeth.

"Gentlemen," she began, and she knew Malon was tensing, feeling nervous when she was not, ―astonishing as it sounded, "I have just now taken a decision. I am quite sure, in my current knowledge of the situation, that you have all eagerly awaited the transfer of my estate into your covetous hands." She smiled, seeing that they hadn't seen the word insertion. Only Ganondorf, who had enough brains to know what covetous meant, was wise enough to look ashen. "In fact, I have just had a short discussion about the matter with my secretary and advisor, Miss Lon, and I have now come to a very simple conclusion."

She smiled sweetly, circling the table, coming to Ganondorf's side and giving him the paper. "I do understand your signature is needed, Mister Dragmire." And she handed him the pen. He hesitantly signed, trembling. She grabbed the pen out of his hands as he barely finished forming his last letter, and grabbed the document again. She came back to the other side of the table. "Before you, gentlemen, I now announce . . ."

Her eyes met Ganondorf's, who had been slightly reassured, as she'd asked for his signature, and she grinned. This time, there was no mistake. He was about to speak, but she cut him.

"I now announce, with all my heart, that I do not intend to follow through with these procedures."

A roar of disbelief came from the table, and she waited for them to calm down. When they did, somewhat, she explained herself, "I have scoured the estate once again, and have found out about my personal history. You may be disappointed to hear that I have begun procedures to put my estate and its archaeological sites under the protection of the government, to be made an official historical landmark." She ripped the document in two, then in four. "And therefore, it cannot be sold, or be used in private affairs. I apologize most sincerely."

Although, of course, the whole room saw that her apologies where not sincere at all, her heart was light, soaring. She didn't know how the idea had come. How could she not have thought of using governmental protection onto her estate? It was so simple. It seemed the power that standing up to Ganondorf had given her also had made her think quicker than she'd had in the past month.

And now, her estate was safe.

She left the consulate to gawp uselessly in their ridiculously big conference room, and strided down the hallway towards the elevator. Malon, trying to keep up without stumbling over her heels, slipped into the elevator at the same time. She saw Zelda's elated smile and had to smile as well.

"So, you _are_ pregnant?" She teased.

Zelda laughed. "No, but I do have a suggestion, Malon."

The doors slid open, and off she was again, with her secretary jogging in heels to keep up.

"What's that, Zelda?"

"Would you like to be out of this business and come work with me at Hyrule Valley? I'd give you a raise, of course."

Malon smiled, honoured. "It would be a pleasure. So, you're checking whether he still loves you or not?"

Zelda paused, stopping just before the glass doors that opened onto the busy avenue. She turned back to Malon and asked, "Do you think he will understand?"

Malon snorted, pushing her into the doors and outside. "Earth to Zelda. Why in the world would he not? You just chose to give hell to the consulate; you chose to keep the estate. Why in the _world_, Zelda, would he not love you?"

"I almost did. Maybe Link doesn't want a woman who tends to give in without a fight . . ."

"So Link is the chap's name, uh? But Zelda, you didn't give in, in the end. And that's all that counts."

Zelda looked back at her secretary as she neared her car, and stopped, looking for her keys. She opened the door, and then paused. Turning back to Malon, she squealed and pulled her secretary in for a hug that nearly crushed the other woman's bones.

"Thank you! I'll be calling you on Monday, I'll be scouting the area for a few locations of apartments, I'll have a few prices if you want, I'll be taking care of everything, all right? Take care, dear! See you in Hyrule Valley!"

And, without another word, she entered her car and started off, down the avenue and out of sight. Malon sighed, smiling in satisfaction.

A few hours later, Zelda stopped in front of the main building of her estate, a converted medieval house. The motor stopped revving, and she sat back in her car seat, looking out the window. Nervousness took her again. She carefully stepped out, looking for a familiar face. It was late after noon; the team was most likely inside, working still.

She pushed the front door, then the door behind the counter open and entered the busy cleansing room. A few workers welcomed her warmly, but she couldn't seem to focus on any of them. Her eyes sought one of them only.

And he wasn't there.

Without even looking up from the old book he was reading, a plump old man with snow-white hair spoke, the corner of his eyes crinkling into deep ridges ―he was smiling ―, "Finally, you're back. We were hoping someone could get him to stop working or sulking. He's out on the hill. Do cheer him up before he comes back to civilized people."

She breathed a thank you and hurried back out. She didn't wonder how Rauru had known, and she couldn't remind herself to care. All her thoughts were on the hill, and him. She was in heels and it hurt, but the pain didn't register either. Her breathing was erratic, but it wasn't because of the effort.

She was up to the observation ruins in a record time. She did not spot him there, but she knew he had to be around. And the only other spot she suspected was just a little downwards, on the hillside opposite. The side facing the valley and the most beautiful, breathtaking view she had ever been given the opportunity to see.

But she couldn't care about the view. Right now, her heart in her throat, she wanted to see him, and be sure whether he still cared somewhat about her.

She saw him as he walked back up, wanting to discover who was running around. He paused as he saw her, still in city wear, in heels and skirt. She had to pause as well. He looked particularly handsome. She didn't know what it was. Maybe it was how he wore the usual white tank stretched across his shoulders and abs, his tanned, muscled arms carrying a pack of thick plastic wrapped around something she could not discern. His dirty blonde hair was matted with sweat, and his breath was short, and his blue eyes stared her through.

After a short moment, he seemed to snap out of it, and he greeted her with a curt nod, averting his eyes and was about to walk past her, to her shock. Instead, however, of brushing past her without a word, he said, "Oh, you're back," in such a blank, expressionless voice that she felt her heart shattering.

She turned to face his back as he was about to walk down the trail that led back to the main area. She finally found her voice and asked softly, uncertainly, "Yes, I was hoping . . ." She hesitated.

What was she hoping? She'd betrayed him. He had been hurt, right? And anyway, how could one kiss determine whether he loved her or not the way she cared for him? What on Earth was she doing here in the first place?

Link had stopped walking, apparently waiting for her to speak. He turned back, still carrying the plastic package. His deep blue eyes pierced her, and within them, she discerned something akin to anxiety. She forgot her whole thought train.

"You were hoping . . .?" Link helpfully reminded her. He sounded slightly expectant. Her mouth was still slightly opened as she searched for her words.

"I . . . I thought . . . I wanted . . . I hoped . . . to see you again."

He did not react, as though this revelation barely affected him, if at all. He didn't seem to care at all. "Oh, really?" He questioned, conversationally, still as polite and blank.

Her heart had not disappeared. It was there, shrivelling up and going cold, in her chest. "I . . . I just came back."

"From the city? So you're done with your little transaction?" He asked, voice rising. He had to pause, take a breath, then level his voice again. "Well, good for you."

He turned around and she cried his name, tears prickling at her eyes. "I . . . Don't you . . ." _Want to see me?_ She wanted to finish, but couldn't find the strength to.

Link looked back over his shoulder, exasperated. "Miss Harkinian, I don't mean to sound pressing, but this is heavy," he declared, indicating the package in his arms, "and if what you have to say can't wait and is all that important, then either follow me or keep it for yourself."

She bit back a gasp. He stung so sharply, it was incredible. Had he truly been that hurt? She felt tears forming in her eyes, but wiped them before running back down to catch up with him.

She followed him as well as she could in high heels while on a forest trail. He didn't slow down to allow her to keep up. So, seeing as he was slowly distancing her, she stopped stumbling and cried at him, anger and pain obvious in her voice, "I drove miles on end for the past three hours, I end up here, walk up a hill in high heels to find you and have you spit venom at me! I'll have you know that I didn't sell after all, and that I lost all my work back at the city because of it, and I'll have you know that I'm SORRY!" A sob tore her throat. "And I'll have you know I came back because this is where people care for me, or at least used to, and I'll have you know I went through all that hell to tell you how much I LOVE YOU, OKAY? So now, you can happily go back down this godforsaken hill, _Hero of Time_! I can take care of myself, you JERK!"

Then, unable to keep speaking, she turned swiftly on her heel and stalked back up to the observation point and over the hillside to her ancestor's tomb. There, she let herself fall, leaned against the slab of stone, brought her knees up, hugged them, and cried.

How could something so frivolous possibly pain her so? How could she have done such a stupid mistake? She sobbed against her arms, setting her watery gaze on the village down in the valley. It was so perfect. They explored it together, and now, she was alone.

And it hurt, like it never had hurt before.

She was seated there for only a few seconds before a heavy, fast paced set of footfalls sounded behind her. She didn't look up. What kind of retort could he possibly have anyway, if not another biting comment on how stupid she was?

He was standing over her, and he sounded breathless.

"You what?" He blurted, voice hoarse.

She was about to snap back at him, but instead, a sob shook her. She was balled up against her forefather's tomb, and she had dirtied this skirt and shirt probably to the point of no return. And he was asking her to repeat what she'd barely found the strength to say in the first place?

He could go to damned hell.

Link slipped down the steep hillside, making rocks ricochet down into oblivion. He stopped his slide with one hand, crawling over to her, and he grabbed her arms and pulled them away from her teary face, and he repeated his question: "Zelda, you what?"

"What do you want me to say?" She asked, furious. "I think I made myself clear."

"You didn't sell," he breathed, awed. "You chose to keep the estate!"

"I'm not sure whom I should thank for it," she muttered angrily.

Link took her chin between two fingers. "Zelda."

And then, it occurred to her that he'd called her by her name.

"I love you too, you fool."

The words barely had time to register in her mind before he dived in for a breathtaking, bruising kiss. His lips were slanted over hers, and she didn't even have time to react that already, he was pulling back, hair falling into his eyes. "And next time you choose to tell me, don't give me the run-around." He punctuated his sentence with another, less passionate but just as tender kiss.

This one, she returned whole-heartedly. It was as his tongue was about to invade her mouth that she pushed him away weakly. He stared at her, eyes darkened by god-knows-what, and breath shallow. "Zelda?"

"Had I sold the estate . . ." She began, but he cut her by bringing a hand up to her lips.

"I'd have tried to forget how much I love you," he admitted, eyes boring into hers. She saw honesty in them. "And I'd have tried to forget how you haunt me every waking moment. Though," he said, embarrassed, "I doubt I'd have succeeded."

Suspicious, she tried pulling away. He let her move back, but kept her at arm's length. "I was hurt, Zelda. You have to forgive me."

"And me?" She asked. "You know _Miss Harkinian_ was hurt, don't you?"

"And if there is anyway I can make it up to you, Miss, just say the word."

She sighed, running a hand up and down his arm, the only thing that kept his whole body supported as he half-lay on the ground beside her. His other hand was around her waist. She saw the hairs on it prickle. He held his breath carefully, as though he were afraid she'd blow away if he dared catch some air.

"Kiss me."

He complied very willingly. She laughed against his lips as he desperately held her close. Her hands were on his shoulders and she pushed lightly against him. He pulled back, half-irritated, half-amused that she'd interrupt them again. "What?" He barked, hiding his amusement.

"You forgot that plastic pack somewhere."

Link blinked, glancing from side to side as though he were trying to recall what she was talking about, then his eyes went wide as saucers. "Oh! Shit! You're right!"

"Can it wait? What is it?"

She wanted to humour him by talking of archaeology, but his response told her what he thought of it: "Zel', could we not discuss the past for now, and concentrate on the present?"

She felt her heart swelling. "Be my guest."

He smirked, dipping back to brush his lips on hers. She remembered something.

"Link," she voiced against his mouth, "I think I need someplace to stay at, and it's getting late."

He peered at her, looking thoroughly annoyed by her constant interruptions, and her wicked smile told him she wasn't completely innocent about it all. "God, you'll stay over at my place tonight! We'll worry about hotels when we elope! Now can we proceed to a cheerful reunion?"

Her laughter was muffled by his lips.

Night fell over Hyrule Castle Town.

* * *

I can show you the world, shining, shimmering, splendid.  
**Tell me princess, now when did you last let your heart decide?  
I can open your eyes, take you wonder by wonder,  
**Over sideways and under, on a magic carpet ride.

A whole new world, a new fantastic point of view  
**No one to tell us no, or where to go, or say we're only dreaming.**

A whole new world,  
**A dazzling place I never knew  
**But when I'm way up here, it's crystal clear  
That now I'm in a whole new world with you.

**Unbelievable sights, indescribable feeling  
**Soaring, tumbling, freewheeling through an endless diamond sky.

A whole new world/ Don't you dare close your eyes,  
A hundred thousand things to see. / Hold your breath it gets better.

I'm like a shooting star, **I've come so far,  
I can't go back to where I used to be** / A whole new world,  
With new horizons to pursue  
**I'll chase them anywhere, there's time to spare  
Let me share this whole new world with you.**

A whole new world, a new fantastic point of view  
No one to tell us no, or where to go, or say we're only dreaming.

A whole new world,  
Every turn a surprise,  
With new horizons to pursue / every moment red-letter.

I'll chase them anywhere, there's time to spare  
anywhere, there's time to spare  
Let me share this whole new world with you.

**A whole new world / A whole new world  
**That's where we'll be / Where we will be  
A thrilling chase  
A wondrous place  
**For you and me.**

_(Whole New World- Peabo Bryson, Regina Belle)_


End file.
